Sumitomo signs technology agreement with BPCL

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sumitomo Chemical has signed an agreement with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) of India for licensing its propylene oxide (PO) production technology in connection with the petrochemical project which BPCL is conducting, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

BPCL is one of the leading government-owned oil companies in India, with a total production capacity of approximately 840,000 barrels a day of crude oil from its four refinery complexes in India. BPCL aims to enter into the petrochemicals market by carrying out a large-scale petrochemical project adjacent to its refinery complex at Kochi in the state of Kerala. The project includes construction of new plants for PO and polyols. For PO production, a decision has been made to adopt Sumitomo Chemical's proprietary technology. From now on, BPCL will conduct front-end engineering design and detailed engineering for the new PO plant, which will have an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons upon its completion targeted in 2022.

Sumitomo Chemical's PO technology is based on a PO-only process in which, with cumene recycling, PO alone is manufactured without accompanying co-products. Sumitomo Chemical was the first in the world to commercialize this cumene method. The technology, combined with the use of the Company's proprietary high-performance epoxidation catalyst, offers the distinct advantages of a high PO yield, superior energy efficiency and remarkable stability in plant operation. The technology has a proven track record of reliable operations at Sumitomo Chemical's Chiba Works in Japan and Petro Rabigh in Saudi Arabia. It was also licensed to S-OIL Corp. of South Korea for a new plant with an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons, which successfully came on stream in 2018. In addition, it was licensed to a subsidiary of PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited of Thailand, whose plant is currently under construction and is due to be completed in 2020, with an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons.

Sumitomo Chemical intends to enhance the business portfolio of its Petrochemicals & Plastics Sector through the global expansion of its technology licensing activities. The Company will continue to make a contribution to the development of the world's petrochemical industry and help resolve issues the industry faces by licensing the array of technologies it has cultivated over its many years of experience.

As MRC informed before, BPCL plans to build a USD3 billion petrochemical unit to serve the Mumbai region, a company official said in March 2018, to profit from the country's expected surge in demand for petrochemicals as its economy expands.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Woodbridge, Ont.-based custom injection molder Krauss Plastics Inc. has made a series of management changes, including appointing a new owner and president, as per Canplastics.

Frank Krauss has now taken over the leadership of the family-owned company, replacing Roland Krauss, who has retired.

Additionally, Ingrid Krauss is the company’s new vice president, and John Krauss is the new production manager.

Krauss Plastics was founded in 1965 by Hans Krauss, and began injection molding in 1971; it has also been ISO 9001 certified since 1995. The company makes a range of injection molded parts – including micro parts – for industrial and consumer applications, and can also supply molds from partner tool shops in Asia.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Linde has announced it has started up its new air separation plants to supply a combined 720 tons per day of high purity nitrogen to Shanghai EverDisplay Optronics Co., Ltd. (EDO) supporting its sixth generation AMOLED project, as per Linde's press release.

Under the terms of the contract, Linde will also supply EDO with oxygen, helium, argon and hydrogen.

"We are pleased to have started supplying Everdisplay while expanding our industrial gas capacity and pipeline network in Shanghai and Yangtze River Delta." said Steven Fang, Head of Linde Greater China. "These new plants will increase our network density and ability to reliably supply the growing consumer electronics market in China."

Huiran Liu, General Manager of EDO, said, "EDO is committed to the development of AMOLED display technology and we have great confidence in Linde's track record of reliable and high-quality industrial gas supply."

As MRC wrote before, the technology company The Linde Group and the specialty chemicals company Evonik Industries have concluded an exclusive cooperation agreement on the use of membranes for natural gas processing.

Linde is a leading industrial gases and engineering company with 2018 pro forma sales of USD 28 billion (EUR 24 billion). The company employs approximately 80,000 people globally and serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. Linde delivers innovative and sustainable solutions to its customers and creates long-term value for all stakeholders. The company is making our world more productive by providing products, technologies and services that help customers improve their economic and environmental performance in a connected world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- As part of the Company’s current slate of low capital intensity, high-return incremental growth investments, Dow announced it will retrofit proprietary fluidized catalytic dehydrogenation (FCDh) technology into one of its mixed-feed crackers in Plaquemine, Louisiana, to produce on-purpose propylene, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The retrofit will enable Dow to continue to meet growing demand for its businesses serving consumer, infrastructure and packaging end-markets, while also remaining within its stated near-term capital expenditure targets.

In 2016, Dow expanded the ethylene capacity of this same cracker by more than 225,000 metric tons and added the ability to crack ethane, while maintaining the flexibility to crack propane, butane and naphtha.

Dow and other US cracker operators are consuming more ethane instead of heavier feed slates, resulting in a reduction of coproduct production, including propylene. This reduction in propylene has created a supply/demand gap in the US that requires additional on-purpose propylene sources to meet the needs of downstream derivatives.

The FCDh technology retrofit further improves Dow’s ability to continue to source the most advantaged feedstocks, while also producing reliable and cost-efficient on-purpose propylene to supply its integrated derivative units in Louisiana. The technology can also reduce capital outlay by up to 25 percent and lower energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 percent, thereby improving overall sustainability when compared to conventional propane dehydrogenation technologies.

The retrofit will enable production of more than 100,000 metric tons of additional on-purpose propylene at full run-rate, further back-integrating Dow’s derivative facilities to cost-advantaged propylene while also maintaining the unit’s current ethylene production capacity. The project is expected to begin producing on-purpose propylene by the end of 2021.

"Deploying FCDh technology supports Dow’s continued focus on delivering low-risk, low-cost and high-return projects while reducing the energy intensity and carbon footprint associated with conventional technologies,” said Keith Cleason, vice president of Dow’s Olefins, Aromatics & Alternatives business. “Retrofitting our Plaquemine cracker will enhance asset utilization and leverage the U.S. shale gas advantage to meet growing customer demand for Dow’s differentiated polyolefins products."

Dow’s licensable FCDh technology won R&D100 and ICIS Process Technology Innovation awards in 2017. It is one of the most economical propane dehydrogenation (PDH) technologies available today. It can be used to construct a stand-alone PDH facility or can be integrated with existing crackers to provide ‘plug and play’ capabilities for a variety of plant configurations.

In July, PetroLogistics ll LLC announced it had licensed Dow’s proprietary FCDh technology for a new stand-alone PDH facility it plans to construct on the US Gulf Coast.

"Adaptable FCDh technology demonstrates the combined power of Dow’s innovation and integration to create breakthrough solutions," said A.N. Sreeram, senior vice president, Research & Development, and chief technology officer for Dow. "Dow’s advanced FCDh technology is flexible, scalable, reliable and more sustainable, allowing for use in multiple configurations in a range of capacities - stand alone or integrated into crackers."

As MRC informed earlier, in June 2018, Dow announced its plan to invest in an alkoxylation facility on the US Gulf Coast. Upon completion, this new facility will support global growth in Dow’s core end-markets related to infrastructure and home and personal care, as well as additional end-markets where Dow continues to strengthen its position for the TRITON, TERGITOL, ECOSURF and CARBOWAX SENTRY brands.

The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational chemical corporation. Dow is a large producer of plastics, including polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, and synthetic rubber.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Blow moulder Alpla Inc. is working with consumer products maker Henkel to spend more than USD100m (EUR90m) to expand and improve operations at a laundry products plant in Kentucky, said the company.

Alpla will invest in infrastructure and equipment for a new bottle production area at Henkel's Bowling Green, Kentucky, campus. Dusseldorf, Germany-based Henkel owns a wide variety of well-known brands, including Persil, Purex and All laundry detergents as well as Snuggle fabric softeners, Dial soaps and Right Guard deodorants and antiperspirants.

The total value of the work, which will increase capacity and efficiency as well as cut energy costs, is more than USD130m (EUR117m), the companies said. The new packaging operation will total more than 170,000 square feet and be operated by Alpla. The packaging company will hire and manage employees at the on-site blow moulding facility.

Henkel operates its largest laundry products plant in the South Central Kentucky Industrial Park, measuring more than 2 million square feet. That's about the size of 40 football fields, the company said.

Henkel already has spent more than USD100m (EUR90m) on improvements at the Bowling Green facility, which is 25 years old. The added investment for Henkel will include improve infrastructure, equipment and information technology, or IT, systems.

"While these packaging operations will be handled by a trusted supplier with expertise in this area, Henkel will focus on its core expertise of manufacturing and marketing," Dirk Holbach, a senior vice president at Henkel, said in a statement.

Alpla said the new project in Bowling Green expands its 34-year global partnership with Henkel. The companies expect the new bottle-making operation to begin production in the middle of next year. The new project is expected to add 60 new workers for Alpla.

"Beyond Henkel's direct employment contribution and community service efforts, the investment partnership with Alpla is a prime example of how the company's supplier network, especially within the transportation and packaging sectors, further magnifies their economic impact locally," Chamber CEO Ron Bunch said in a statement.

Alpla first arrived in Bowling Green in 2013 when the company spent more than USD20m (EUR18m) to open a blow moulding plant for Sun Products Corp., a maker of laundry detergent that Henkel subsequently acquired.

Alpla Inc. is a member of Hard, Austria-based Alpla-Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Co. KG, which has more than 20,000 employees at 178 manufacturing sites in 46 countries.

Alpla makes bottles, closures, moulded parts and packaging systems. The company ranks No 5 among North American blow moulders, with estimated blow moulding sales in the region of USD1.1bn (EUR990m), according to Plastics News data.
MRC